Golf season winds down, the clubs get cleaned and put away, and the rest of the sun safety routine tends to wind down with it. But the off season is actually the right time to book the one appointment most golfers keep putting off. Here is why, and how to make it a habit that sticks.
Why the Off Season Is Actually the Right Time
During peak season, sun protection is about getting through the round. Sunscreen before you tee off, a UPF layer for the back nine, maybe a hat if you remembered it. There is rarely a moment to step back and think about what months of cumulative sun exposure actually did to your skin.
The off season is that moment. A summer tan fades and reveals what was underneath it, new spots, changes in existing moles, patches that did not look like anything under a golf tan in July. Dermatologist wait times also tend to be shorter outside of peak summer vacation months, which makes now a genuinely easier time to get an appointment than trying to squeeze one in during June or July next year.
Booking a skin check in the off season also sets you up to head into next season with a clean bill of health instead of a nagging thought you keep putting off round after round.
What Actually Happens at a Skin Check
A lot of people put this off simply because they do not know what to expect. The appointment itself is straightforward. A dermatologist or your family doctor does a full visual exam of your skin, often using a handheld dermatoscope to get a closer look at any moles or spots that stand out. It is painless, takes about fifteen to twenty minutes, and nothing happens without your doctor discussing it with you first.
If something looks like it needs a closer look, your doctor may recommend a biopsy, which is a quick procedure to remove a small sample for testing. Most spots checked at these appointments turn out to be nothing. That is the point of going regularly, catching the rare one that is not nothing while it is still easy to treat.
In Canada, a skin check through your family doctor or a dermatologist referral is generally covered under provincial health care. Coverage details vary, so it is worth a quick check with your provincial health plan or your doctor's office, but cost should rarely be the reason this gets skipped.
How to Do a Self Check Between Visits
Annual professional checks matter, but so does knowing your own skin well enough to notice when something changes between appointments. Once a month, in good light, take a look at your skin from head to toe. Use a mirror or a partner for spots you cannot easily see yourself, your back, scalp, and the backs of your legs are the ones people miss most often.
The ABCDE method is the standard way to evaluate what you find. Asymmetry, where one half of a spot does not match the other. Border irregularity, where the edges are ragged or blurred. Colour variation within the same spot. Diameter larger than 6mm, roughly the size of a pencil eraser. And evolving, meaning any change in size, shape, colour, or new symptoms like bleeding or itching. A full breakdown of what sun damage actually looks like on skin is covered here if you want to know exactly what to look for.
Who Should Make This a Priority in the Okanagan
Anyone who spends regular time outdoors in a high UV region should be doing this, but it matters most for people with fair skin, light eyes, or red or blonde hair, anyone with a personal or family history of skin cancer, anyone with a high number of moles, and anyone who has had significant sunburns in the past. Golfers, hikers, and anyone else who racks up sustained outdoor hours across an Okanagan summer fall squarely into that group.
An estimated 11,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2026, and 85 percent of those cases are attributed to UV exposure. Regular skin checks are one of the few things in this equation that are entirely within your control.
Turning It Into a Yearly Ritual
The easiest way to make sure this actually happens every year is to attach it to something else you already do on a schedule. Right after you put your clubs away for the season is a good anchor point, book the appointment the same week you winterize your gear, and it becomes part of the routine instead of a task that quietly falls off the list.
Put it in your calendar now, before the off season gets away from you. Future you, standing on the first tee next spring, will be glad you did.
Why This Brand Exists
Enjoy the Vu was founded in Penticton, BC by Jake MacDonald after a malignant melanoma diagnosis at 24. The diagnosis changed everything about how he thought about sun protection, and the polo he could not find afterward is the reason this brand exists.
Every Enjoy the Vu polo is independently lab tested to UPF 50+ under AATCC 183-2010. It covers the largest surface area of your body passively, consistently, and without requiring any action from you mid round. Browse the full collection of UPF 50+ long sleeve golf polos.
Related articles on The Vu:
Signs of Sun Damage on Skin: What to Look For and When to See a Doctor
Melanoma Near Misses and the Importance of Early Detection
Skin Cancer Statistics in Canada: What the Numbers Actually Say